Energy conserving broiler

Abstract

An energy conserving broiler has a frame supporting a housing having a patty opening and a bun opening therein. The upper run of an endless conveyor is disposed adjacent the patty opening. Two arrays of spaced heater elements are on the frame above and below the upper run of the conveyor. Radiant heat reflecting partitions are disposed between the elements of each array and double wall radiant heat reflectors are disposed above and below the two arrays. A deflector wall is positioned between one of the arrays and the patty feed opening. A bun conveyor is on the frame near the bun feed opening. A bun heater is above the bun conveyor. A patty receiving device for reflecting heat upwardly is disposed between the heater element array below the upper run of the conveyor and the bun heater.

I claim: 
     
       1. An energy conserving broiler comprising a frame, a housing on same frame, means in said housing forming a patty feed opening, an endless patty conveyor having an upper run and a lower run, means for mounting said conveyor on said frame with said upper run adjacent said patty feed opening, an array of spaced heater elements on said frame and disposed above said upper run adjacent the center thereof, radiant heat partitions fixed on said frame and disposed between and spaced from said heater elements, a double wall radiant heat reflector on said frame above said heater elements, and deflector walls fixed on said frame and disposed at the ends of said array, at least one of said reflector walls being between said array and said patty feed opening. 
     
     
       2. A device as in claim 1 including additional radiant heat partitions at the ends of said array. 
     
     
       3. A device as in claim 1 including a second array of spaced heater elements on said frame and disposed below said upper run adjacent the center thereof, radiant heat partitions on said frame and disposed between said heater elements of said second array, a second double wall radiant heat reflector on said frame below said second array. 
     
     
       4. A device as in claim 3 including an additional double wall radiant heat reflector on said frame and extending substantially between an end of said second double wall radiant heat reflector and said feed opening. 
     
     
       5. A device as in claim 4 in which at least one of the walls of said additional double wall radiant heat reflector is of perforated metal. 
     
     
       6. A device as in claim 3 including a discharge station on said frame adjacent one end of said conveyor, and a radiant heat barrier between said second double wall radiant heat reflector and said discharge station. 
     
     
       7. A device as in claim 3 including means in said housing forming a bun feed opening below said patty feed opening, a bun heater on said frame adjacent said bun feed opening, and a patty pan on said frame for reflecting heat upwardly and disposed above said bun heater and below said second double wall radiant heat reflector.